WHAT'S IN OUR TOTAL (PHYSICAL & SPIRITUAL) DIET?

D.I.E.T. DID I EAT THAT?

Did we eat that? Are we going to believe and swallow that? These are the questions we should be asking ourselves every day. Our nose and teeth and tongue process the physical data it gets. Our other senses operate like this too. Senses develop over time and give us important information about our activities and environment. Traditions also develop in like manner and can evolve from multiple influences. Our modern "three meals a day" routine is not a practice based on biological necessity or rhythm. This tradition originated from a mix of European class structures, the Industrial Revolution's and corporate marketing. Keep in mind that greed and the "love of money" tend to manage and manipulate the motivation behind most marketing. Food, considered as any nutritious substance that we eat, drink or absorb to grow and live covers more than just physical sustenance. "Give us this day our daily bread," is a prayer to GOD asking for all of the things our "being" requires. This should include our body, soul and spirit.

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OUR FOOD AND PHYSICAL DIET

They say we are what we eat. If that is true, then it stands to reason that what we don't eat we are not. Protein is vital to our body's function it helps our cells to grow, replace and repair themselves. Our body makes some proteins on its own from the twelve amino acids it produces. The other nine amino acids must come from the proteins in our diet. Whey, the protein supplement extracted from milk, provides all nine of these amino acids. If we consume more protein then necessary, our body will break it down into amino acids, then into fatty acids and sugars. These excess chemicals travel to the liver which converts them into cholesterol and fat for removal. It's amazing how these natural systems function. When they work properly and are not overwhelmed by bad dietary habits, we enhance good physical health. Wouldn't it be nice if our minds could automatically and correctly process all of the information we're exposed to on a daily basis? We could continue to progress while spontaneously rejecting any false or unnecessary data. Controlling our thinking would also become unnecessary! That might compromise free will, but who needs autonomy if we have a guarantee of always being right instinctively.

ESSENTIAL NUTRITION: THE ALPHABET DIET

There are certain dietary foods and minerals we all need. There have been multiple diets devised and promoted to address it. The list is extensive we'll list a few of them here. The Atkins diet, the Beverly Hills diet, the Cambridge diet, the Dash diet and the Pritikin diet are among the many diets people try for various reasons. We highly recommend "the Alphabet diet." The "Alphabet Diet" is a contrivance of nutritional needs we have aggregated to give our readers an idea about many of the things the body needs. This diet empowers every individual to personally advocate on behalf of themselves. It is a simple alphabet matching skill as easy as ABC. We are not doctors, dieticians or nutritionist. We encourage everyone to advocate and research on behalf of their own health. This is simply a partial and informative list of foods, minerals, nutrients and supplements that correspond with each letter of the alphabet. 

A. apples, apricots
B. bananas, blueberries, broccoli & beef (grass fed unstressed)
C. cabbage, carrots, chocolate (dark only 75% or higher) 
D. dates, D3 (vitamin)
E. eggs (from free range chickens)
F. fish & fruit 
G. grapes, guava
H. honey
I. iodine & iron
J. Juices (100% real fruit juices) Java (In moderation)
K. kale
L. legumes, lentils
M. Mackerel, Mango
N. NAC (N-Acetyl Cystine) nuts
O. oatmeal, olive oil
P. pears, peppers, pineapple
Q. Quinoa
R. Raspberry, Rice (Brown) Rosemary 
S. salmon, spinach, sunshine & sweet potatoes
T. tomatoes, tuna & turmeric
U. Ube, Ugali & Umbrella fruit
V. vegetables & vitamin D
W. watermelon, walnuts
X. Xigua, Xanthosoma & Xoconostle
Y. yams
Z. zinc

HOW WE EAT GOES ALONG WITH WHAT WE EAT

We know the difference between Fresh, Frozen, Processed, Ultra-Processed and Synthetic food.

Fresh foods are consumed in their natural state or with very minimal alteration (like washing or slicing). They retain all their original nutrients derived from the soil they grow in. They contain zero added sugars or artificial preservatives. This results in them having the shortest shelf life. 
 
Frozen foods are supposed to be fresh foods that were picked at peak ripeness and then frozen. This "process" is designed lock in nutrients and extend their shelf life. If they are packaged in their healthiest and original form, they will not contain any added ingredients.

Processed foods are deliberately altered from their original form primarily for preservation. They are manipulated to some degree and have additives like salt, oil, or sugars and sweeteners. Processed foods have hard to pronounce preservatives like sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, calcium propionate, and sodium nitrite/nitrate. Processed foods contain emulsifiers that are added to help combine ingredients that would normally separate. Processed foods employ thickeners, stabilizers, and gelling agents along with artificial colors and flavors. In short, processed foods usually rely on specific ingredients to extend shelf life, imitate whole foods, enhance palatability, and appear attractive in texture. Processing may not always be unhealthy; but it represents a compromise between productivity, profit and preventing spoilage.

​Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are almost entirely industrial formulations. They contain little to no intact whole foods. Ultra-processed foods are primarily made from substances that are extracted from other foods. Some examples are hydrogenated oils and high-fructose corn syrup. UPF's almost always are created with artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.

Synthetic foods are imitated food products artificially created in laboratories or industrial settings. Synthetic foods use chemical synthesis, biotechnology, or cellular agriculture instead of planting and harvesting. Synthetic foods do not come from traditional agriculture or livestock. These products are engineered to mimic the taste, texture, and nutritional value of natural foods.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL & SPIRITUAL DIET

​We can accept that in this life perfection is not possible. The phrase that "practice makes perfect" is not true. Practice done correctly does lead to improvement but even that is subjective. We can all learn from mistakes, not only our own but also the mistakes of others. Unfortunately, mistakes have a negative stigma attached to them. Without the experience of "ERRORS," we cannot "fail forward." Fear of failure restricts progress. We can overcome oversights and correct faults through the acceptance of beneficial blunders. Physical, spiritual, mental and emotional growth take place over time. Gradual advancement is a normal expectation. Maturity in its ever-broadening definitions should also be defined as the process of "owning" and being fully responsible for the choices we make. This is why It is not wise to involve children in adult decisions. The burden of dealing with results beyond their control creates anxiety and fear. We should protect young undeveloped minds from the ramifications of exposure to traumatic, conversations or environments. It is hard enough to deal with self-image struggles and fitting in. A bit of familiarity with "Erikson's" 8 stages of development is enlightening. There are two conflicting forces at each level of growth. The crisis encountered at each stage of this psycho-social development must be reconciled by every individual whether they are aware of it or not! When we are as sensitive to the development of our spiritual, emotional and intellectual faculties as we are to our physical and tangible assets, we then maintain balance. Our physical diet affects multiple aspects of our being; each has an effect upon the others. Try concentrating on an empty stomach. It's easy to notice how our appetite changes when we're upset. Trying to have fun while we are sick is very difficult. Keep in mind that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Never underestimate the effect of any interaction. Examine The Four Noble Truths. Become familiar with The Noble Eightfold Path. Simply study the Beatitudes in the Bible. Compare them all and draw a conclusion.

CARING FOR THE BODY EDUCATING THE SOUL AND FEEDING THE SPIRIT

The spiritual side of the coin mimics what we're experiencing on the natural side of the spectrum. We are being fed garbage from charlatans claiming to represent GOD'S doctrine and standards. We are feeding our mind and spirits with internet and television themes repeated through the vast amounts of multimedia we are exposed to by our phones and images on screens of all types. Being surrounded by these influences is almost force-feeding us a diet of unrighteous behaviors cloaked in seemingly acceptable scenarios. We must watch what we eat, watch where we go, watch who we go with and watch what we watch (see).

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